Bridging the Gap with 360 Video
A big issue to arise with a new piece of technology is that it can be hard to justify creating too much new content without having enough of a user base that has already bought into that technology. Although, if there isn’t enough engaging content, than it’s hard for a new piece of technology to gain that user base.
This is an issue that will confront Virtual Reality headsets. Currently, the Oculus Rift and the Valve/HTC Vive only have developer kits, with consumer versions coming out later this year and the beginning of next year. So there is a limited amount of content just yet, since the audience mainly consists of other developers and VR enthusiasts.
At the Google conference I/O Google announced that there were over 1 million Google Cardboard headsets out there. A number that likely has grown since that announcement. Secret Location’s Insidious Chapter 3 VR experience was made for the DK2, but a version for Google Cardboard was also made and in the United States, AMC Theatres gave out Insidious branded Google Cardboards. There has also been a number of other media promotions that have given out branded Google Cardboards.
Google has come up with a great way to bridge that divide, at least when it comes to VR videos. They recently announced that YouTube would support VR videos for their Google Cardboard headsets. This wasn’t going to be a new VR version of YouTube, but something that is built into the regular YouTube app. When a user plays a YouTube video on a mobile device that is available as a VR video, a Google Cardboard icon would appear in the bottom right hand corner with the other UI elements. The user can simply tap the icon and it switches over to VR mode.
Nevertheless, 1 million Google Cardboard users is still a small number compared to the number of mobile devices, desktops and laptops out there. As a result, Google has worked out a way of reaching those viewers with 360 video. On a mobile device if the user doesn’t have a Google Cardboard, the regular YouTube app will play these videos as a 360 video and the user can move the device up and down, as if their device is a window into another world. The version on desktop Chrome can now play 360 videos on YouTube where you drag the mouse around to change the view. Within time, other browsers will likely support 360 videos, but so far it is just desktop Chrome.
That means there is huge reach that is a lot bigger than any VR headset. Nike launched a VR soccer experience for their new shoe, the Nike Hypervenom II and managed to get over 2 million views in about 2 weeks. Something they wouldn’t have been able to pull off with just a pure VR app in the Google Play & iTunes store.
Also, the 360 videos on YouTube just do a better job in selling virtual reality for people who have never experienced it. As VR videos often show an example of what a user is seeing when they move the camera around with their head. The problem is that if someone hasn’t experienced VR before they don’t understand that someone is moving the camera, and people are often confused with the jerky camera movements.
360 videos are not VR, but the unlimited view of moving around 360 degrees using your mouse or device gives you a closer idea of what VR is like compared to regular videos.
Now there are still some gaps with this process, in that YouTube VR videos are not available on Samsung GearVR, Oculus or Valve’s HTC Vive without a hack. Perhaps Google is working on a desktop app for these platforms, otherwise a separate app for the video would be required. After establishing Google Cardboard on Android, Google got an iOS version working including a VR option on the iOS version of YouTube. It remains to be seen if they will also try to get their apps and a VR version of YouTube on other VR headsets.
At some point in the future, Virtual Reality headsets will likely be more ubiquitous. Until we reach that point, 360 videos on YouTube is a great way to bridge that gap and allow more people to see that content.
Originally published at blog.thesecretlocation.com.
